scholarly journals Archaean Gold Mineralization in an Extensional Setting: The Structural History of the Kukuluma and Matandani Deposits, Geita Greenstone Belt, Tanzania

Minerals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shimba Kwelwa ◽  
Paulus Dirks ◽  
Ioan Sanislav ◽  
Thomas Blenkinsop ◽  
Sergio Kolling
Keyword(s):  
Greenstone Belt ◽  
Gold Mineralization ◽  
Structural History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Extensional Setting

Structural history of the Manitouwadge greenstone belt and its volcanogenic Cu-Zn massive sulphide deposits, Wawa subprovince, south-central Superior Province

1999 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 605-625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia L Peterson ◽  
Eva Zaleski
Keyword(s):  
Base Metal ◽  
Greenstone Belt ◽  
Regional Metamorphism ◽  
Massive Sulphide ◽  
Iron Formation ◽  
Deformation History ◽  
South Central ◽  
Structural History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Map Scale

Structural analysis of the Manitouwadge greenstone belt, integrated with detailed mapping and geochronological and petrographic studies, reveals a complex early deformation history that significantly modified the primary distribution of base-metal deposits and alteration zones. The (D3) Manitouwadge synform dominates the map pattern; however, penetrative fabric development and establishment of the tectono-stratigraphy of base-metal deposits mostly predated D3. The D1 Garnet Lake fault, which repeats mineralized horizons within a distinctive lithological sequence, is delineated locally by annealed mylonite. D1 planar fabrics are preserved locally in outcrop and thin section. D2 folding accompanied peak regional metamorphism at upper amphibolite facies. The F2 Agam Lake syncline repeats the volcanic sequence across the southern limb of the Manitouwadge synform. A map-scale F2 sheath fold deforms the Garnet Lake fault. Minor D2 structures include prevalent outcrop-scale folds, locally with sheath geometry, the dominant S2 foliation, and mineral lineations (parallel to fold axes). Northwest-southeast-directed D3 shortening produced the Manitouwadge synform and related regional folds without extensive penetrative fabric development. Flexural slip folding is evident in the inner hinge of the synform where rocks of differing competency are interlayered. Higher strain, stronger fabric development, and a component of simple shear were preferentially partitioned to fold limbs. Relative pre-D3 structural geometries in the inner hinge region of the Manitouwadge synform are not significantly complicated by D3 and younger deformation. Retrodeformation of the mineralized sequence shows systematic stratigraphic patterns in iron formation types, stacked massive sulphide orebodies, and alteration types that can be applied to exploration models.

Chapter 8: The World-Class Gold Deposits in the Geita Greenstone Belt, Northwestern Tanzania

2020 ◽  
pp. 163-183
Author(s):  
P.H.G.M. Dirks ◽  
I. V. Sanislav ◽  
M. R. van Ryt ◽  
J.-M. Huizenga ◽  
T. G. Blenkinsop ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenstone Belt ◽  
Gold Mineralization ◽  
Gold Deposits ◽  
Normal Faulting ◽  
Rock Interaction ◽  
Northwestern Tanzania ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Igneous Activity ◽  
History Of ◽  
Gold Bearing

Abstract The Geita mine is operated by AngloGold Ashanti and currently comprises four gold deposits mined as open pits and underground operations in the Geita greenstone belt, Tanzania. The mine produces ~0.5 Moz of gold a year and has produced ~8.3 Moz since 2000, with current resources estimated at ~6.5 Moz, using a lower cut-off of 0.5 g/t. The geologic history of the Geita greenstone belt involved three tectonic stages: (I) early (2820–2700 Ma) extension (D1) and formation of the greenstone sequence in an oceanic plateau environment; (II) shortening of the greenstone sequence (2700–2660 Ma) involving ductile folding (D2–5) and brittle-ductile shearing (D6), coincident with long-lived igneous activity concentrated in five intrusive centers; and (III) renewed extension (2660–2620 Ma) involving strike-slip and normal faulting (D7–8), basin formation, and potassic magmatism. Major gold deposits in the Geita greenstone belt formed late in the history of the greenstone belt, during D8 normal faulting at ~2640 Ma, and the structural framework, mineral paragenesis, and timing of gold precipitation is essentially the same in all major deposits. Gold is hosted in iron-rich lithologies along contacts between folded metaironstone beds and tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) intrusions, particularly where the contacts were sheared and fractured during D6–7 faulting. The faults, together with damage zones created along D3 fold hinges and D2–3 hydrothermal breccia zones near intrusions, formed microfracture networks that were reactivated during D8. The fracture networks served as conduits for gold-bearing fluids; i.e., lithologies and structures that trap gold formed early, but gold was introduced late. Fluids carried gold as Au bisulfide complexes and interacted with Fe-rich wall rocks to precipitate gold. Fluid-rock interaction and mineralization were enhanced as a result of D8 extension, and localized hydrofracturing formed high-grade breccia ores. Gold is contained in electrum and gold-bearing tellurides that occur in the matrix and as inclusions in pyrrhotite and pyrite. The gold mineralization is spatially linked to long-lived, near-stationary intrusive centers. Critical factors in forming the deposits include the (syn-D2–6) formation of damage zones in lithologies that enhance gold precipitation (Fe-rich lithologies); late tectonic reactivation of the damage zones during extensional (D8) faulting with the introduction of an S-rich, gold-bearing fluid; and efficient fluid-rock interaction in zones that were structurally well prepared.

scholarly journals Oxygen Fugacity and Volatile Content of Syntectonic Magmatism in the Neoarchean Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Superior Province, Canada

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 966
Author(s):  
Baptiste Madon ◽  
Lucie Mathieu ◽  
Jeffrey H. Marsh
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Fugacity ◽  
Greenstone Belt ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Gold Mineralization ◽  
Gold Deposits ◽  
Hydrothermal Systems ◽  
Chemical Diversity ◽  
Temporal Association ◽  
Volatile Content ◽  
Abitibi Subprovince

Neoarchean syntectonic intrusions from the Chibougamau area, northeastern Abitibi Subprovince (greenstone belt), may be genetically related to intrusion related gold mineralization. These magmatic-hydrothermal systems share common features with orogenic gold deposits, such as spatial and temporal association with syntectonic magmatism. Genetic association with magmatism, however, remains controversial for many greenstone belt hosted Au deposits. To precisely identify the link between syntectonic magmas and gold mineralization in the Abitibi Subprovince, major and trace-element compositions of whole rock, zircon, apatite, and amphibole grains were measured for five intrusions in the Chibougamau area; the Anville, Saussure, Chevrillon, Opémisca, and Lac Line Plutons. The selected intrusions are representative of the chemical diversity of synvolcanic (TTG suite) and syntectonic (e.g., sanukitoid, alkaline intrusion) magmatism. Chemical data enable calculation of oxygen fugacity and volatile content, and these parameters were interpreted using data collected by electron microprobe and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The zircon and apatite data and associated oxygen fugacity values in magma indicate that the youngest magmas are the most oxidized. Moreover, similar oxygen fugacity and high volatile content for both the Saussure Pluton and the mineralized Lac Line intrusion may indicate a possible prospective mineralized system associated with the syntectonic Saussure intrusion.

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